Author Chronicles: Return to Hyrule
by charity236
Summary: *chapters 9 & 10 up* Link returns from his adventures in Termina, Holodrum and Labrynna to find that all is not well in Hyrule. A curse has been set on the land by an unknown wizard.
1. Prologue: A Hero Could Save Us

Author Chronicles: Return to Hyrule  
  
a fanfic by charity236   
  
Quick Notes/Summary:  
  
After his time- and season-travelling adventures in Termina, Holodrum and Labrynna, Link has decided to come back to Hyrule. But all is not what it seems - a curse has been placed on the land. People have changed personalities, and in a way, so have the different parts of Hyrule (Kokiri Forest almost looks like Gerudo's Fortress!). But it wasn't Ganondorf who did this - it was a wizard.  
  
Now Link has to journey through four different lands to save the world again by collecting the Spirit Sprites. But this time, he's going to need a lot of help, particularly from his new fairy wings. And a certain bottle of gold dust keeps stuffing up his plans...  
  
Sounds good eh?  
  
Rating may go up to PG in later chapters - haven't decided.  
  
Please review, don't sue, and enjoy!  
  
Oh, and flames will be given to Rauru to melt his chocolate coins (don't ask!).  
  
Dedication:  
  
All of my fanfics are now dedicated to the 3,000-plus innocent people who were killed in the World Trade Center and Pentagon terrorist attacks in New York City and Washington D.C. on September 11, 2001. They will always be remembered. God Bless America, death to terrorists.  
  
Disclaimer:  
  
All Zelda and related characters are trademarks of Nintendo and Shigeru Miyamoto. Not me (waaaah!).  
  
Any characters/items/etc. not in Zelda games are creations of my own (yay!).  
  
I didn't write/sing the song "Hero" by Chad Kroeger feat. Josey Scott.  
  
I wrote this for PURE FUN. No profit-making plans involved with this fanfic. No commercial purposes. ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO DO WITH MONEY. Okay?  
  
  
  
Prologue: And They Say That A Hero Could Save Us  
  
Some time after his time-travelling heroics in the land of Hyrule, Link was sent to the lands of Termina, Holodrum and Labrynna to destroy the evils there. He kept travelling, but soon wanted to come back home. Riding Epona through the grassy plains, over the rough mountains, splashing through rivers, he found his way back to Hyrule.   
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
The sun was setting as Princess Zelda looked out of her bedroom window (in the tallest tower of Hyrule Castle) at the rest of the land, as far as she could see.   
  
'Link... will you ever come back?' Zelda asked no-one. 'All of Hyrule needs you. We... no, I need you...'   
  
Zelda held in her hands a small framed picture of Link that she had sketched herself. She looked at it and a single tear fell down from her face, onto the chest of the Link in the picture.   
  
Then she sang to herself part of a song that had come to her in a dream the night before.   
  
(Author's Note: this is part of a real song - Hero by Chad Kroeger feat. Josey Scott, which was for the Spider-man soundtrack. I just thought it'd make a nice touch to the fanfic, hehe.)  
  
I am so high, I can hear heaven  
  
I am so high, I can hear heaven  
  
Woah, but heaven... no,  
  
Heaven don't hear me.  
  
And they say  
  
That a hero could save us  
  
I'm not gonna stand here and wait  
  
I'll hold onto the wings of the eagles  
  
Watch as we all fly away.  
  
'I better write that down,' Zelda thought. She found a scrap of paper and wrote down the whole song (not just the part she'd sung). 'It's a lovely song. I do not want to forget it.'  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
That was a bit boring, but it gets better! Trust me!  
  
Next chapter: Curse Of A Wizard  
  
~~~ 


	2. Chapter 1: Curse Of A Wizard

Return to Hyrule - a fanfic by charity236  
  
Disclaimer: I didn't create Zelda. So there.  
  
Chapter 1: Curse Of A Wizard  
  
Link found a warp to Hyrule Field, near Kokiri Forest. He galloped through it, leaping with joy at the thought of seeing all his old Kokiri friends. He even thought he'd be happy to see Mido again!  
  
But as he walked across the bridge in the Lost Woods, he knew something wasn't right. The trees looked dead, he couldn't sense the spirits around him, and even Navi looked dead on her wings.  
  
Then, when he walked through the hollow log into the forest, there was nothing. Almost nothing. But red and yellow soil.   
  
Link looked around, dazed. There were a few caves scattered throughout the forest - could he even call it a forest any more? It was more like a dirt patch - and a big mound smack bang in the middle. There was almost nothing he recognised, nothing - except the path to the Great Deku Tree. And his old house that was, strangely enough, still standing. The only greenery apart from those things was a few wild thorny bushes in the far corners of the dirt patch.   
  
Thinking that he wouldn't be recognised, Link jumped into the nearest bush (full of thorns, which he pulled out with small yelps), and slowly got closer to his house. Bushes also surrounded the house, but that was no problem. There was a neat path cut through them by someone, probably Saria, Link thought. That is, if she is still here.   
  
Link tore up the ladder into his house. The first things he saw were Kaepora Gaebora, the wise old owl, and Saria, having a deep conversation. Navi, Link's old guardian fairy, listened to the talk.  
  
'Er-hem...' Link muttered.   
  
'OH! LINK!!' Saria cried, then rushed over to hug him. Link went red. 'I haven't seen you in such a long time!' Then she got serious.  
  
'Link, something strange is going on in the forest, and other places in Hyrule too.'  
  
'I've never seen anything like this in all my living years,' said Kaepora. 'It is quite strange.  
  
'Link, there are bad things happening everywhere. Many of the people in the area have either fled to safer lands, or become - ' he struggled to find words, ' - I guess you could call it their opposite. Most people who were good are now evil, and those evil are good.'  
  
'We think some people are lying. You've got to be careful, Link,' Saria said.  
  
'But why do I have to be careful?' Link asked.  
  
'Because you're the one who will save us all. You have to. It's the only way.'  
  
'But why me?' Link asked. 'Why not someone else? I want a break from fighting evil.'   
  
'We can trust almost no one now. Not until Hyrule is back to normal.'  
  
'I think I may know the cause of the problem...' Kaepora began.  
  
[Kaepora's POV - POV means "point of view" if you didn't know]  
  
After you left for your original time, everyone had a party at Lon Lon Ranch. Well, everyone except the Sages.  
  
They were sitting on top of Death Mountain, watching the horizon, when I appeared. I watched too, but only I saw the faint spark over the remains of Ganon's Castle.  
  
I explained this to Saria, who agreed with me. We set off for the ruins, Saria holding on to my talons.  
  
At first I thought it was my imagination playing tricks on me, but...   
  
I landed on a narrow ledge. Saria sat down too. I looked closer at the ruins, and saw...  
  
Someone (he/she looked like a wizard) was waving sparks over a sword. Ganon's sword.   
  
The wizard might have been trying to revive Ganon with it. But I did not know then what I found out later. Those sparks were supersonic. He was spreading a curse across Hyrule.   
  
I took Saria back to the forest. As we got to Saria's house, I could already see the effects of the curse working - the grass was dying, and the water slowly evaporating. It was awful...  
  
[Back to third-person view]  
  
'You must destroy the curse.' Kaepora was firm.  
  
'But how? I don't know how to do it,' Link wondered.  
  
'There are nine Nature Spirits hidden by the nine races of Hyrule and the surrounding lands: Hylian, Deku, Goron, Zora, Gerudo, Kokiri, Sheikah, Fairy and Subrosian.' Saria said. 'But they were spread across time by use of the Master Sword. They will be found somewhere nearby each race's home. It is quite possible that you will revisit dungeons you have been to before. Beat the monsters in those places to gain access to the Spirits. You will have to go through time. Get out your Harp of Ages.'   
  
'How did you know I had that?' Link asked.  
  
'Easy. Word gets around fast these days,' Saria joked. 'Now, there are two ways to travel through time. One is to play the Harp. Another way is to use the Master Sword again.'  
  
'Besides, the Door of Time is sealed. You will have to get into the Castle and see Zelda - she'll give you the Ocarina,' Kaepora informed.  
  
'You can go to the past when you never lived; the time during which you were on your journey for the Spiritual Stones; the present, right now; and as an adult. You figure out the rest,' Saria said. 'Did you get all that?'  
  
'Er... no?' Link joked.   
  
'Now, go see Zelda. Here's the old Fairy Ocarina for you to use if you need it. There will be even more guards than ever before, though,' Saria said. 'And it might be wise to say hi to the Great Deku Tree, but I'm not sure what sort of mood he is in these days. I haven't visited him for ages.'  
  
'Thanks,' Link said.   
  
'Just don't get caught by the other Kokiri. They haven't been happy for ages,' Saria warned.  
  
'Bye Kaepora,' Link said while shaking Kaepora's wing. 'It was good to see you again. And Saria... keep safe. Please. I don't want anything happening to you. Not now.' Link hugged Saria, and they both went red. Link grabbed his bag before making for the door.  
  
'Bye, Link,' Saria whispered as Link left the house and made for the Deku Tree's meadow. Then she started playing her song slowly.  
  
  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Next Chapter: Tatl Steps In  
  
~~~ 


	3. Chapter 2: Tatl Steps In or Attack Of Th...

Return to Hyrule - a fanfic by charity236  
  
Disclaimer: I didn't create Zelda. So there. Oh, and flames will be given to Rauru to melt his chocolate coins.  
  
Note from charity236: This is the first of what I like to call a "half-silly chapter". It would be a "silly chapter" if all of it was funny, which it isn't. Well okay, this is a "half-silly and three-quarters-weird chapter" (how does that work?!).  
  
PS: I'll explain Rauru's love for chocolate coins in a later chapter, I promise. And I'll make sure it's one of the (dun dun dun!) "silly chapters".  
  
  
  
Chapter 2: Tatl Steps In or Attack Of The Kokiri  
  
Link edged his way across the dirt-covered forest floor to the Great Deku Tree's Meadow.   
  
'I really wish I could be invisible right about now,' he thought to himself.  
  
At the entrance to the meadow, there was no Mido to stop him, nor Deku Babas to hurt him. Link slowly walked up to the Great Deku Tree, who was snoring loudly enough to wake up everyone within 50 kilometres if there wasn't magic in the air.  
  
'Hello? Great Deku Tree...' Navi whispered in the old tree's ear.  
  
'What? Huh? Oh, Navi. Thou hast come back...' the Deku Tree said. 'And Link...'   
  
Suddenly the Great Deku Tree went into a rage. His leaves turned a furious red, his eyes turned a weird shade of purple, and branches whipped out at Link from all sides.   
  
'How dare ye leave and not return... for eight long years I have waited. Whilst ye were in other lands... you should have been here to protect us. But no, you had to go off on your little journeys, whilst the Kokiri and I struggled... to... fight... curse...' The angry tree seemed to have fallen unconscious.  
  
'How could a tree fall unconscious, Navi?' Link asked.   
  
'I... I don't know, Link. That must be a very powerful curse to knock out the Great Deku Tree.'   
  
Link could hear a rumbling coming from somewhere. 'Are you sure he's unconscious, Navi?' he asked slowly while, unnoticed by both Link and Navi, the Great Deku Tree opened his eyes. With a crack, Deku Nuts flew at Link from in front and behind.  
  
The Great Deku Tree hadn't been knocked out. He had summoned the Kokiri. Just great.   
  
Armed with flimsy Deku Shields and Sticks, the Kokiri kids drew closer to Link. Getting his Longshot out, Link drew it level with the Great Deku Tree's nose, and was pulled to it.   
  
'What is this?! Link?!?! What are ye doing upon my nose?! Kokiris, get him!'  
  
Mido took out a megaphone (where he got that, I have no idea) and yelled, 'Fire!'  
  
Something hit Link in the head - it bounced and landed in his hand. A Deku Seed.  
  
'Well, if you want me, come and get me!' Link yelled at them. He threw Deku Nuts into the Tree's eyes, making the tree go half-blind, then shot magic seeds at the Kokiri kids with the Hyper Slingshot he'd found in Holodrum. The kids had a small variety of things happen to them, including being put on fire and blown away in mini-tornadoes.   
  
In all the confusion, Link hovered over to the entrance to the Meadow with his Hover Boots, then made a run for it.   
  
Only then did he realise that Navi wasn't with him.  
  
  
  
'Navi!' Link yelled. 'NAVI!!!!'  
  
Pop!   
  
'Huh? Tatl?! What are you doing here?' Link asked in surprise. Tatl had appeared out of nowhere, or so it seemed.  
  
'Hi! I thought I'd lend a wing. Hang on!'  
  
Tatl sprayed some strange dust onto Link, and he turned into... a Fairy?!?!  
  
'Since when am I a Fairy?'  
  
'Since now,' Tatl said.  
  
'I sure hope I get a mask for this,' Link muttered to Tatl.  
  
'Skull Kid'll play the Healing song, don't worry,' Tatl assured.   
  
'Skull Kid?'  
  
'He's waiting back at your house. ...By the way, you made a really good exit back there.'  
  
'Gee, thanks,' Link almost blushed. 'So where do we go?'  
  
'Um, your house. Fast! The Kokiri kids have just found out about us here!'  
  
'But what about Navi?' Link asked.  
  
'Oh alright.'  
  
Link and Tatl flew back to the Deku Tree's Meadow. Navi lay near a Gossip Stone, which was laughing uncontrollably.  
  
'Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!!' the Gossip Stone giggled.  
  
'Shut it, you!' Navi yelled.  
  
'Hahahahahahahahahahahahaha - wait, I just realised that isn't funny. Doh.'  
  
'What's not funny?' Link asked the stupid Stone.  
  
'Link? Is that you?' Navi wondered.  
  
'[sarcasm] Well duh, it's Ganondorf. [end sarcasm] I never knew Gossip Stones could talk!'  
  
'Neither did I,' Navi agreed.  
  
'Same here,' Tatl nodded.  
  
~Well they can now,~ boomed a voice from the heavens.  
  
'Who said that?' everyone said at the same time.  
  
~I did.~  
  
'Who's "I"?' Link asked.  
  
~You're you.~  
  
'No, who's "I"?'  
  
~You.~  
  
'-_- This isn't funny. Who's "I"?!'  
  
~You are. You call yourself "I".~  
  
'[crying in laughter] I mean YOU! Who are YOU?!?!' Link half-laughed, quarter-yelled and quarter-cried.  
  
~Oh, ME. I'm the person who made it so that Gossip Stones can talk.~  
  
'Aren't you meant to have an actual NAME?!'  
  
~The name's Author. Is that good enough?~  
  
'What kind of name is Author?!'  
  
~It's MY name, don't wear it out,~ Author smiled (even though no-one could see it).  
  
'You know what? This is ridiculous, us talking to someone who we can't even see. If the Great Deku Tree wakes up he'd think I'm insane or something. So will you GO AWAY, AUTHOR?' Link yelled.  
  
~Geez, I'm just trying to help.~  
  
'Some fat lot of help you are,' Navi sneered.  
  
~Was that a pay-out or a compliment?~ Author asked.  
  
'Uh... I'm indecisive.'  
  
~If you say it that way, then I'm leaving.~ There was a faint pop and then the presence of Author had gone.  
  
'I really hope we don't have to talk to her again,' Link moaned. On a lighter note, he said, 'So Navi, you OK?'  
  
'I'm alright. Do you want to carry me?' Navi asked.  
  
'If you haven't noticed, Navi - I'm not my normal self right now. How could I be, when I'm glowing bright green and have wings?!' Link groaned.  
  
'Oh, uh... You're a... a FAIRY?! How?'  
  
'Tell you later,' Link said.  
  
'Fine, be that way. And if you haven't noticed, I NEED HELP RIGHT NOW!' Navi said.  
  
Link got his arms under Navi - 'That tickles! Heehee!' - and lifted her up.  
  
'Come on, Tatl.'  
  
  
  
The three flew into Link's house. Link set Navi down on the table, then flew up to greet Skull Kid, who was sitting down at the table, talking with Saria and Kaepora, who were still there.  
  
'Hi Skull Kid!' Link greeted loudly.  
  
Skull Kid screamed and fell off his chair.  
  
'You scream like a girl!' Navi laughed.  
  
'Well, he isn't one,' Tatl defended Skull Kid.  
  
'Hi Skull Kid!' Link said again.  
  
'Oh hi... is that you... Link?!?! Why the hell are you a Fairy?' Skull Kid shrieked in shock.  
  
'What's that? Someone turned you into a Fairy? Heeheehee!!!!' Saria laughed, then everyone else in the little room laughed too.  
  
'Er, Skull Kid, just play the Song of Healing, will you already?' Link asked.  
  
'Link - I don't know it, play it yourself!' Skull Kid admitted.  
  
'Fine then, be that way. Tatl, I thought you said he knew it!' Link grumbled. He got out the Fairy Ocarina, and played the Song of Healing.   
  
There was a bright light as Link changed.   
  
Memories of himself receiving the Spiritual Stones and Medallions, of Malon and Ruto, of all the good and bad times he'd had while journeying through Hyrule flashed quickly through Link's mind... and memories, most of all, of Zelda - of Zelda teaching him about the Spiritual Stones, of Zelda escaping the castle, of Sheik revealing he was really Zelda, of Zelda charging up the Master Sword so he could deliver the final blow to Ganon...   
  
Then, memories from his journeys beyond Hyrule...   
  
Suddenly, a dark shape appeared in his mind...  
  
A wizard, waving his arms across a gigantic sword...  
  
A curse, spreading through Hyrule... Through those lands he had visited...  
  
Then, a bright light, a spark of hope... Link knew that he must save not only Hyrule, but other lands too...  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Hope you liked that! Author will be making an appearance in later chapters as well as other fanfics of mine. She's even a main character in one! In fact, if you want me to post it soon, mention it in a review. I tell you, it's possibly the funniest fanfic I ever wrote.  
  
Until I post the next chapter of Return to Hyrule, seez ya!  
  
Next Chapter: A Fairy Realises  
  
~~~ 


	4. Chapter 3: Dash For Help or A Fairy Real...

Author Chronicles: Return to Hyrule  
  
a fanfic by charity236  
  
Disclaimer: I didn't create Zelda. So there.  
  
  
  
Chapter 3: Dash For Help or A Fairy Realises  
  
'Unnnn...'  
  
'Sshhh! He's stirring!'  
  
Voices... so many voices...  
  
A wizard... an evil... so strong... so... strong...  
  
'Skull Kid, go fetch Zelda. Kaepora, Tatl, Tael, stay here and look after Link and Navi. I must go...' Saria left without another word.  
  
After Saria and Skull Kid had left, Tatl and Tael started fighting.  
  
'I TOLD you not to use that stuff! That old hag knew what would happen after, didn't she?'  
  
'How was I supposed to know? She needed help to find her sister, and she gave me the stuff when I found her!'   
  
'Shut up, both of you! I'm trying to rest!' Navi yelled. The two fighting fairies took no notice.  
  
'HOOOOO!!!! BE QUIET!!!!' Kaepora screeched. Tatl and Tael calmed down and sat on the table.  
  
'Now what? Link may be...' Tatl sobbed.  
  
  
  
Saria had gone to the Forest Temple to talk with the spirits. But even then, there was not much she could do.  
  
~O, wise spirits, please help me, I need to revive Link,~ Saria's Ocarina sang.  
  
The spirits had a quick talk amongst themselves before deciding.   
  
A bottle with a Triforce marked on it shot down from the sky. It landed in the middle of the spot where Link would have warped to with the Minuet of Forest.  
  
~O, thank you, kind and wise spirits, thank you for helping me,~ the Ocarina belted out its tune, and Saria ran to get the bottle. She grabbed it, and made a dash for Link's house.  
  
  
  
Skull Kid had warped to the Temple of Time using his flute, and found a secret way into the castle. There was a hole big enough for adult Link to crawl through, and it led to the courtyard, where Skull Kid assumed Zelda would be.  
  
Zelda was staring through a window, but seeing nothing, except...  
  
'Princess Zelda!'  
  
'What? Who is this? Guards!' Zelda shrieked as Skull Kid played Saria's Song on his wooden flute. 'Oh! ...Hide! The guards are coming!' Zelda magicked up a Stalfos as Skull Kid hid underneath the stairs.   
  
'Princess, did you call- Oh, crud! Arms out, everyone!' The guards struggled to defeat the gigantic Stalfos, let alone keep an eye on Zelda. She dashed through a nearby door, with Skull Kid following.  
  
'Skull Kid, what's wrong? Has something happened...?'  
  
'Oh, it's about Link...'  
  
'Has he returned to Hyrule?!?!?!?!'  
  
'Yes. There was an... unfortunate accident.'  
  
Skull Kid quickly explained about what had happened to Link in Kokiri Forest that afternoon. After he had finished his tale, he asked Zelda about it, while the guards fought a hilarious battle with the Stalfos, which kept getting brought back to life with Zelda's magic.  
  
'I'm really not sure, but... wait, I'll go get it.'   
  
The It in question was the legendary Ocarina of Time, which was still in Zelda's posession after Link's journey in Termina. He had sent the Ocarina back, not knowing if he'd need it in the lands beyond.  
  
'Come on Princess, please come with me.' Skull Kid led Zelda through the garden (she had stopped the Stalfos regenerating by this time, and the guards were thoroughly puffed - too puffed to care what Zelda was doing) and through the hole, then she asked him to hold her hand while she played Minuet of Forest on the Ocarina of Time.  
  
  
  
Saria, Zelda and Skull Kid arrived at Link's house at the same time. Tatl and Tael were talking about the twin sisters that ran the Magic Hag's Potion Shop in the Southern Swamp in Termina, and Kaepora was listening.   
  
'They were very suspicious looking. I'm surprised Link didn't recognise those awful witches,' Tatl told Tael.  
  
'Tatl, give me a description of those witches...' Navi asked, still nursing her arm.  
  
'Um...' Tatl thought hard. 'Googly eyes... er, weird laughs... oh, evil-looking... I can't remember anything else, sorry.'  
  
'Hmmm. What were their names?' Navi asked.  
  
'Oh, Koume and Kotake. Why would yo-' Tatl was cut off.  
  
'Twinrova!!!! Link fought them in the Spirit Temple. One of them used fire, the other ice, to try and hurt him, but that was their downfall...'  
  
'So, how come they were healthy and unhurt in Termina?'  
  
'I don't know. You'll have to ask Link about it, though, if he ever...'  
  
'Tatl, you'll be in trouble if Link finds out.' Tael squirmed with guilt.  
  
'Navi! Are you OK now?' Saria asked, walking into the room.  
  
'I'm stable, but it still hurts a bit,' Navi answered.  
  
Saria pulled a bottle of Blue Potion out of Link's bag, and poured some into a teaspoon. She gave it to Navi to drink.  
  
'Here you go. Drink up.'   
  
'Now, about Link... oh, Zelda! Hello. Do you want to sit down?' Saria indicated a chair for Zelda to sit on.  
  
'No, it's alright. This is for Link, when he wakes up.' Zelda held out the Ocarina of Time.  
  
'Skull Kid, pour this down Link's throat while we play a song, OK?' Skull Kid took the bottle with the Triforce carved on it, and pulled off the lid. The liquid inside was clear, but sparkled when the sun's rays hit it.  
  
The aura was tense as Saria and Zelda both played the Song of Healing as many times as they could while the special potion trickled down Link's throat. He glowed white, and as the final drops fell, returned to normal.   
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Next chapter: That's A Familiar Name  
  
You'll find out the better title when I post the chapter. But for now, this title will have to do. Have to leave you in suspense for a little while, eh?  
  
~~~ 


	5. Chapter 4: Wings Of A Hylian or That's A...

Author Chronicles: Return to Hyrule - a fanfic by charity236  
  
Disclaimer: I didn't create Zelda. So there.  
  
I'm baaaaaaack! I know it was a longer-than-usual wait, but under the current circumstances... erhem. Anyway, since I've been so lazy these past few weeks (at least I think it was weeks), I decided to post TWO more chapters! How about that, folks? Anyway, enjoy this (hehehe) next round of Return to Hyrule!   
  
  
  
Chapter 4: Wings Of A... Hylian?! or That's A Familiar Name  
  
As Link got up from his bed, nobody noticed the fairy wings protruding from his back. They were just like how they were when Link was fairy-size, only now the wings were bigger, to suit his full-size body.  
  
Link looked in a full-size mirror to check that he was alright.   
  
'Link, stop pretending to be in a fashion show already!' Navi, Tatl and Tael giggled.  
  
'What? I'm checking to see if all of me is here.'   
  
Silly Link, almost everyone except Link thought. Only Zelda seemed to have no problem with Link's actions.  
  
'Er... heehaahoo... er, hoot... Link (wheeze), have you noticed the -' Kaepora began. Then he burst out in laughter with everyone else except Link, who obviously didn't see what was so funny about - him?  
  
Why are you all laughing at me? And Kaepora, I thought you'd have more sense, Link thought to himself.  
  
'SSSSHHHHHHHH! You'll alert the Kokiris!' Link yelled, and the room fell silent. 'Okay, what's so funny about me? Is something wrong or is it just you guys? Am I in a dream? Or wha-'   
  
Link touched his back, very carefully. He felt the silky, fragile wings that were sticking out from his tunic.  
  
He almost screamed in horror when he saw them - they were so fine he needed to use the Lens of Truth, unlike Kaepora the owl, whose eyesight was extremely sharp for an old owl. He must have told everyone else about them.  
  
'WHY IN ALL SUBROSIA DO I STILL HAVE FAIRY WINGS ON ME?!?!' Link shouted to Saria, Zelda and Skull Kid, since they were the ones who had woken him up.  
  
'SSSSSSSSHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!' everyone said.  
  
'And what's Subrosia?' Skull Kid asked, as everyone but Link and Zelda had puzzled looks on their faces.  
  
'It's me you should be yelling at, not Saria or Skull Kid,' Tatl revealed slowly.  
  
'Tatl, don't say it...' Tael whispered.  
  
'Tael, I have to own up. I didn't know what the gold dust would do. I never should have trusted those witches... even though they gave Link a bottle and let him go on the Swamp Boat Cruise...'  
  
'Link, I have to reveal my secret.'  
  
After you left for Holodrum, I went to see if the Magic Hags had finished the Mushroom Potion for me.   
  
"Tatl, I have the mushroom potion ready for you. Oh, but where's the boy, Link? Surely you wouldn't be able to carry this potion without a bottle," Koume had said as soon as I had entered the shop.  
  
  
  
Link cut off Tatl at this point, saying, 'Koume! That's a familiar name... if only I knew who she was again...' The side-effects of the evil of the castles in Holodrum and Labrynna included a slight memory loss (unknown to Link), but Link's case was stronger than normal.  
  
'Link, let me get back to my tale!' Tatl was getting annoyed.  
  
  
  
I was going to send the potion to you, but as well as the potion, Koume had discovered that the spores on the mushrooms had an extremely magical property that could turn people into things at the user's wish. The spores were mixed up with some Blue Potion, and it made a fine powder. But Koume didn't want to try it on her dear sister Kotake, and no-one she met accepted the offer to test it.  
  
"It's alright, I've got his bottles, Link didn't think he'd need them on his journey. Fill them all up with the Mushroom Potion, except one."  
  
That one was the bottle that Koume filled with the special dust.  
  
After I grabbed the bottles, Koume said, "I might have put something extra in one of them, dear... heeheeheeheehee... goodbye. I might see you in Hyru-"  
  
That was all she managed before her sister Kotake intervened. She had shot some ice from her wand, and frozen Koume's hair.   
  
"Kotake, that hairstyle cost 500 Rupees! Where can I get that much money again? WHERE?"  
  
"I don't want anyone to find out where we come from, Koume!"  
  
I left them to fight, as usual. On the way to Clock Town, I checked my bottles and saw the dust. I tried it on a butterfly, and it turned into a Skulltula (one was trying to hit me at the time).   
  
"Oops, I don't want a mutated butterfly roaming the field," I thought to myself.   
  
I whistled the Song of Healing, and the butterfly reformed, though now it had eight legs instead of six, and it could spin webs.  
  
  
  
'I never sent the potions to you, Link, but I give them to you now. And...' (she hesitated) 'Here's the dust. It could be useful in many ways.'   
  
'Tatl, there's something you're not telling me, is there?' Link wondered slyly.  
  
'Well -'  
  
'Link, Koume and Kotake, they aren't just witches. They're -' Navi began.  
  
'Twinrova! I should have remembered that, but Ganondorf's evil rays made me forget about them.' Link said. He slumped back down on the bed, careful not to crumple his new wings. 'I'm so forgetful... ever since I fought Onox, it's been even harder to remember...'  
  
'Link, I may have a way to help you remember.' Zelda spoke suddenly.  
  
'Y-you do?' Link stammered.  
  
'Sure.'  
  
Zelda played her special lullaby - backwards.   
  
'That's the Song of Rememberance. Play it whenever you can't remember something, and all sorts of memories will come back. So if you play it a lot, your memory will be restored. Oh, and here's the Ocarina of Time. You'll definitely need it now.'  
  
Link gave Zelda the Fairy Ocarina. 'Even though this was Saria's, you take it. It's only fair.'  
  
'Let's all work together to save Hyrule - again,' Zelda announced.  
  
Everyone agreed.   
  
'Don't forget the other Sages too,' Saria piped in.  
  
'I know. Okay, NOW let's all work together to save Hyrule again,' Zelda said again.  
  
'And to help me get rid of these damn wings,' Link grumbled. Everyone laughed.  
  
'Link, they might be useful, you know... Let you fly.' Tatl said.  
  
'Well, you might be right, Tatl,' Link agreed.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Things are getting interesting... and Link has only just started his journey for the Spirit Sprites!!  
  
Next Chapter: More Dust Troubles  
  
If you want a lot of laughs, why don't you checko out my new fanfic, One Really Weird Dream (also by me)?  
  
And another thing - if you'd like me to post my Zelda/Harry Potter fanfic in celebration for Order of the Phoenix coming out, tell me. I know that Return to Hyrule is far from finished, but I like to post new stuff before old stuff is finished. It's just the way I am :D  
  
~~~ 


	6. Chapter 5: More Dust Troubles or Reunion...

Author Chronicles: Return to Hyrule - a fanfic by charity236  
  
Disclaimer: I didn't create Zelda. So there.   
  
Chapter 5: More Dust Troubles or Reunion Of Two Friends  
  
'Link, keep safe this time. I'll be in the Forest Temple, or in the Chamber of Sages, alright?' Saria said.   
  
'Yep. See you there when I get the Master Sword back.' Link hugged Saria (they went red AGAIN - Zelda giggled), and Saria played the Minuet of Forest.  
  
'She's not really going to the Temple, she's off to the Chamber.' Kaepora said. 'The pitch was higher than normal.   
  
Oh, Link, I'll see you around Hyrule. Just don't expect me in any town, everyone's getting rowdy down there. I'm afraid they might kill me and roast me for dinner. Bye again Link. Hoo hoo.' They shook hand and wing, and then Kaepora Gaebora flew out of the little house. Only Skull Kid, Zelda and the three fairies were left, apart from Link himself.  
  
'I'm going to see if any of my friends are still living in the Woods. Come on Tatl, Tael,' Skull Kid said. Tael glided to the door, but Tatl stayed by Link's side.  
  
'No, I must help Link. I got him those wings, so maybe I can get rid of them. Plus, Navi might need a helping hand. She has a broken wing,' Tatl informed Skull Kid.  
  
'Oh alright then. I'll catch you up in the Lost Woods, alright Link?' Skull Kid hesitated, then pulled out Majora's Mask.  
  
'How did you get that? I thought I gave it back to the Happy Mask Shop guy!' Link was outraged.  
  
'Oh, no, that's just your memory playing tricks. The Song of Healing pulled it off of me, so I kept it, but never wore it again. Only use it if you really need a boost of strength; it might make people mix you up with the wizard guy.' Skull Kid slapped Link's shoulder, then Skull Kid left too, with Tael behind him.  
  
'Now it's just you and me, Zelda...' Link whispered.  
  
'Yeah.'  
  
They hugged for a moment, then Link pulled away from Zelda.  
  
'Ooo, kissy kissy,' Tatl whispered to Navi, and they both giggled.  
  
'I must go see how the other races are doing. I'll see you in the Chamber of Sages, huh?' Link asked.  
  
'Yeah. After the meeting there, I'll be hanging around, but not as Zelda.' She had a twinkle in her eye. 'Just... go get the Master Sword. The Spiritual Stones are still there. And don't worry, Ganondorf won't come out of the Sacred Realm. I... no, we made sure of that seven years... forward. Good-bye, Link.'  
  
Link ran out of the house and flew up with his newborn power of flying, and Tatl & Navi following close behind, Navi with a slight limp.  
  
Only Zelda saw them go. She watched them, as if seeing nothing, yet seeing everything.   
  
  
  
Link was flapping over the Lost Woods, looking for signs of Skull Kid, when he had a sudden thought.  
  
'Gee, I'm not flying much faster than when I'm rolling, huh?' he asked Navi; she had seen far more of his journeys than Tatl had.  
  
'No. Maybe you should go get Epona.'  
  
Link tried to roll while flying, but ended up doing a triple cartwheel instead.  
  
'Heehee. Just do this.' Navi showed Link the extremely easy yet normally extremely-hard-to-master rolling-when-flying move.  
  
'Oh, alright.'  
  
Link practised all the way over the Lost Woods, and by the time he reached Epona (who was hitched to an old tree at the entrance to Kokiri Forest) he had mastered it with little difficulty.  
  
'Epona! Look up!' Link yelled as he swooped down, foot-first, to land.  
  
Epona neighed in fear and tried to run, but the rope was too strong and she only got about one metre before Link landed.  
  
'Epona girl, it's me, Link,' he said soothingly, and Epona calmed down. 'I just have wings, and can fly now.' He grumbled again.  
  
'Don't worry, it can't be permanent. Maybe when you destroy the curse the wings disappear. Maybe it's not the dust, but the curse?' Tatl wondered.  
  
'But if that's true, then after I left Termina, the curse had reached there too?!' Link shrieked.   
  
'Who knows. But for now, let's just go somewhere,' Navi said. She was getting tired of all the talk. She hopped into Link's bag for a nice rest.  
  
'At least people can't see these darn wings, unless they have really good eyesight,' Link was thankful.  
  
'Just hop onto Epona, and let's get moving!'  
  
'Oh alright already.' Link mounted Epona, and they galloped off, the Map of Hyrule that Kaepora had given him in his hands.  
  
'Let's see... shall we check out the Zoras first? Or shoud we just head to the Temple of Time?'  
  
'Temple of Time,' Tatl said. 'Zelda's probably already waiting. And by the way, what IS the Temple of Time?'  
  
Link explained the purpose of the Temple while they trotted through the grassy Hyrulian plains.   
  
As Link rode along, his bag felt heavier and heavier. Finally, they had to stop next to a small pond with a few trees around it.   
  
Link hitched Epona to a rotting tree and took off his bag.  
  
'Those straps are killing me, did Kaepora put a boulder big enough to block the entrance to Dodongo's Cavern in there?'  
  
He looked in his bag, and a Mystery Seed hit his face.   
  
'Oof!' Link yelped and dropped the bag in surprise. His face had gone a silvery colour with the effects of the strange Mystery Seed.   
  
A light blue person with wings stepped out from Link's bag.  
  
'What the?!'  
  
'Can't you see Link, it's me, Navi!'   
  
'But why- Ohh! You must have landed in the bottle of gold dust,' Link said.  
  
'I'm big now, as big as you, Link! That stupid gold dust. But at least I can walk properly.' Navi seemed half-delighted and half-annoyed.  
  
'Navi, you'll stay big until the curse is destroyed, do you realise that?'  
  
'Oh, is that bad?'  
  
'Maybe.' Link thought for a moment. 'There is a slight way around it. Even though you already are a fairy, use my Fairy Mask. It'll make you your normal size as long as you wear it.'  
  
'Thanks Link.' Navi put it in the pocket of her fancy skirt.  
  
'C'mon, let's get going Link!' Tatl was really annoyed now.  
  
'Oh, fine. Navi, you get up behind me and hold on.'  
  
Link hopped up after unhitching the horse from the dead tree, then Navi got on.  
  
'I want to go to Lon Lon Ranch,' Navi called.   
  
'Alright already.' Link pulled Epona's reins in the way of the ranch. Malon would want to see him anyway.  
  
  
  
At the ranch, Talon was marking out some new track boundaries.  
  
'Hi Talon, finally gotten around to doing some work, eh?' Link joked.  
  
'Oh, hey, it's... what's your name? I'm good at faces, but not names. You're the forest kid, I know THAT,' Talon assured.  
  
'The name's Link. Now, uh, where's Malon?'  
  
'She's in the ring, training Epona's oldest foal. About one year old now, old enough for someone like you to ride it, Link.'  
  
'You never told me Epona foaled!'  
  
'Oh, yeah, she did. Two months after you left. Foaled to some black stallion... The King of Hyrule found it roaming around the ruins of the castle, and it had some mean looking armour on...' Talon remembered.  
  
'Ganondorf's horse! Excuse me, Talon, I'll leave you to your track marking. I've got to -'  
  
'And who's this pretty lady you've got here?' Talon asked.  
  
'This is... well, you remember my fairy? This is her.'  
  
'Oookay... see you later Link, come back if you want to buy some milk.' Talon obviously didn't believe Link.  
  
'Actually, Talon, I'd like to buy one of your horses,' Navi said.  
  
'Oh, well then you've come to the right place. Go see Malon out back, she'll show you the latest stock.'  
  
  
  
'That's good Moonshine, keep it up.' Malon had Epona's oldest foal, Moonshine, on a lunge line, and a giant stuffed teddy was loosely tied to the horse's back to act as the 'training saddle'.   
  
Epona neighed at the sight and smell of Moonshine, and Malon looked up.   
  
'EPONA!!!!' Malon squealed with delight at seeing her old horse again. Then she looked up and saw Link. She squealed again as loud as she could, because her fairy boy had come back.  
  
'Fairy bo- I mean Link! Hi! Have you seen Moonshine yet?' She pulled the lunge line in roughly, making the huge teddy bear fall off the horse's back.  
  
Moonshine was pure black, except for the exact same white markings that Epona had.  
  
'You wouldn't think she was from Epona, huh?' Then Malon saw Navi. 'Oh, do you have a girlfriend now?' she said sarcastically.  
  
'No. This is my fairy, Navi.'  
  
'Prove it, fairy boy.'  
  
Navi put on the Fairy Mask and went her normal size.   
  
'All right, I believe you. Now, what are you here for?'  
  
Link answered as Navi took the mask off.  
  
'A horse for Navi... if you came back in a few years, Moonshine would be ready. But, I can't make time go fast.'  
  
Link was about to say, 'I can,' when Navi said, 'Well, reserve Moonshine for me and I'll come back for it.'  
  
'Oh, Navi, I'll have to talk with Mr. Ingo about it. He said Moonshine was already reserved for... someone. He didn't say who though.'  
  
'Thanks, Malon. We've go to go now. Oh, by the way, how is Ingo?'  
  
'Mr. Ingo is acting very strange. Even more than usual. Ever since dad came back, Mr. Ingo was way too nice. Now he's switched again. He's really mean.'  
  
'Bye Link, I'll see you later.' Malon got back to training Moonshine as Navi put the Fairy Mask back on (she thought Epona was too bumpy) and Link jumped over the wall of the ranch on Epona.  
  
  
  
'Whoa, why am I up in the air?' Link wondered. Navi and Tatl had both fallen asleep in his bag, in the pocket where he kept his quest items.  
  
Link looked behind him at Epona's back. She had grown wings (more like Pegasus) too.  
  
'This is insane.' Link thought that as Navi had gotten out of the bag, some dust had fallen onto Epona.  
  
In the Temple of Time, it was dark (the fairies hadn't woken up yet, so they didn't provide any light). Link had tied Epona to a tree to the right of the castle.  
  
The Spiritual Stones in place, Link got out the Ocarina and started to play the Song of Time.   
  
The song echoed throughout the Temple, throughout the land, throughout the world.  
  
The Door of Time opened.  
  
Link ran up to the Pedestal of Time where the Master Sword was sticking out of, its steel blade shining as brightly as ever.  
  
He pulled the sword out with all his strength. Then, there was a flash of blue light. The Medallion pictures carved into the circle surrounding the Pedestal shone bright, one by one. Light, Forest, Fire, Water, Shadow, Spirit. The Triforce symbol on the marble floor glowed gold, and then there was nothing.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Next Chapter: Problems of Hyrule  
  
The Sages and Link are going to have a meeting about the evil situation in Hyrule. Don't miss it!  
  
~~~ 


	7. Chapter 6: Problems Of Hyrule

Author Chronicles: Return to Hyrule  
  
a fanfic by charity236  
  
Disclaimer: I didn't create Zelda. So there.  
  
I'm back again. Hope you like this next chapter...  
  
  
  
Chapter 6: Problems Of Hyrule  
  
'Link... Link... Wake up, Link...'  
  
He slowly opened his eyes. There was a glowing blue all about the room. Six... no, seven people were in a tight circle around him.   
  
A blue face hovered above Link.  
  
'AAHHHHH!!!!' He woke up fully, and found himself lying on the floor in the Chamber of Sages. 'Navi! Don't scare me like that!'  
  
'Sorry, Link.'  
  
Then he realised something.   
  
'Navi, you're bigger than before...'  
  
'Well duh! After the mistake with that gold dust!'  
  
'No, I mean you're bigger than after the dust accident. And your clothes are different too.'  
  
Navi had outfitted herself with a sarong-type skirt and bikini top.   
  
'Yeah, well, you're bigger too. You're an adult, you nong!'  
  
'Oh.' Link got up off the ground with the help of his wings, which had grown even bigger still to accommodate for the weight of Link's adult body.  
  
Navi suddenly went normal size. The Fairy Mask seemed to be incredibly useful.  
  
Link looked around the Chamber. It was more or less the same as when he had last seen it. He was still standing on the Triforce symbol, and the Sages were all here too.  
  
'Saria, good to see you again. That incident back then with the dust... hehe. Now I think of it, it was rather funny...' Saria laughed too, then they hugged before Link went over to the next Sage.  
  
'Big Bro, Darunia, long time no see,' he said, and Darunia gave him the biggest back slap he'd ever had - well, not as big as Biggoron's, of course.  
  
'Hey, Big Bro, I've really been needing you back home. All the Gorons except my son Link, Biggoron and I are just too weird. They're all evil. Not at all Goron-like. Help me out here!'   
  
'Whoa, Darunia, I've got other matters to attend too. But I'll do what I can, of course,' Link said.  
  
Next up was Princess Ruto of the Zoras.  
  
'I've been waiting...' (she thought for a bit) '... ten years now! Please come back to Zora's Domain, we'll hold the wedding ceremony there -' (Link was still shocked about this) '- ...But now is now the time.'  
  
Ruto started crying into Link's shoulder.   
  
'The Zoras are being nice - just [sob] nicer than normal. I think they're up to [sniff] something...'   
  
'Then why are you crying over it if they're nice?'  
  
'They're TOO nice. It's driving me crazy! Has someone learnt a song for controlling minds or something?'  
  
'No, it's a curse,' Link assured Ruto. 'Has the Domain defrosted yet?'  
  
'Yes, all of it except the warp to Lake Hylia. The way's still blocked.'  
  
'I may have an answer to that, but I'll be needing...' Link pulled out his Zora Mask.  
  
'You really think you're going to help me with that on? It's just a silly mask!'  
  
'It's not just a silly mask. It's special. Watch.'  
  
Link gave out a small yelp as he turned into a Zora.  
  
'Cool, so you ARE ready to marry me now!' Ruto was about to kiss Link, when he took the mask off.  
  
'It's only a mask, alright?'  
  
'Oh. I better let you talk to the others.'  
  
  
  
Impa seemed pleased to talk to Link, but had little to say.   
  
'Being the only true Sheikah in existence, I am delighted to give you this mask. It will turn you into a Sheikah yourself. The ancient mask was handed down through the generations of Sheikah living in the castle, until I was the only one left. Now, I give it to you.'  
  
'Thanks Impa. How is everyone in the castle anyway?'  
  
'Normal, as far as I can see. The rebuilding of the castle and market took about a month, so it wasn't a big deal.'  
  
Nabooru was intrigued with Link's journeys - or at least what he had looted during his journeys.   
  
'These are my Magnetic Gloves. If I may demonstrate...' Link took 50 pins out from his bag and dropped them on the floor. The Gloves picked them up instantly.  
  
'Cool huh?'   
  
'Oh yes. Tell me, how is that horse of yours, Epona, doing?'  
  
'Very well. She's had a few foals, but strangely enough, the stallion was Ganondorf's.'  
  
'Really? Ooh, I'll get back at him someday. I'm going to walk into that Realm and...' Nabooru moved a finger across her neck. 'But I'd like to get Twinrova back more. Those ugly witches...'  
  
'Actually, I'd like to get them too. Look what their dust did to me!' Link turned around and showed his wings. 'I was turned into a fairy. Then I was turned back and I still had these. But at least I can fly - that's one of the good things.'  
  
They kept chatting about adventures they'd had and such, until...  
  
'Oh, I bet Rauru's waiting for me.'  
  
Rauru looked older than ever before.   
  
'How are you going, Rauru? And how are all the Hylians?'  
  
'Me? I'm doing alright in my old age. And the Hylians? They are all mixed between good and evil. It's quite strange. The curse is awful; we must get rid of it.'  
  
'Well I knew that. And are you still on that diet?'  
  
'Uh, uh, well...' Rauru struggled to hide the chocolate coin behind his back, but was too slow - Link snatched it off him.  
  
'Oh really, come off it! It's just CHOCOLATE!' Link yelled.  
  
'But I love it! The taste, the smell, the texture...'  
  
~Frickin' hell, you're as addicted to chocolate as Goldmember is to gold,~ came an echoing voice.  
  
'Not Author again!!' Link groaned. 'What did I tell you?! Ra-'  
  
~R-A-C-K OFF, I KNOW!!~ Author snapped. ~Calm down, I'm just trying to get a rise out of you. And Rauru, how come you're addicted to chocolate in the first place?~  
  
Rauru hesitated for a moment. 'It was right after Link had gone back to the past...'  
  
  
  
[Rauru's POV] We Sages were sitting on top of the hill, when Kaepora came along and decided to take Saria off somewhere. I asked the others, "Where do you think they're off to?"  
  
"Don't ask me," Nabooru replied.  
  
"I dunno," Impa said.  
  
Ruto shrugged.  
  
"No idea," came Darunia's answer.  
  
"What a fat load of help you are," I said sarcastically. "Now if you don't mind, I'm off to see where they went." With that, I disappeared and found myself back in the Chamber of Sages.   
  
Opening the door (yes, there's a hidden door right over there), I went to find the Goddesses. Hopefully they were in their large castle.  
  
They were. After a quick talk with them so they could get me to Kaepora and Saria's destination, I appeared in a dark brown place - the ruins of Ganondorf's castle!!  
  
Peering around from a large cement block, I noticed a crouching person moving his hands along a long object, and two other people on a ledge further away, clearly trying not to be seen - Kaepora and Saria, I could tell instantly.  
  
But who was the other man? As I took in a deep breath and prepared to step out from behind the block, Kaepora and Saria flew off. It looked as though I would have to go it alone.  
  
I stepped up quietly to the man, and tapped him on the shoulder, hoping he wouldn't lash out at me.  
  
"WHAT?! What do you want, fatty?!" he snapped violently.  
  
"I... I was just wondering what you were doing?" I asked, trying to sound nice.  
  
"That is none of your business. Now would you please go away."  
  
"What are you doing?" I repeated, more urgently.  
  
"I said GET LOST!" the man yelled, and several birds took flight from the sudden noise.  
  
"No, first tell me what the hell you're doing."  
  
A smile drew across the man's ugly face. "What am I doing? I'm doing... THIS!!" He raised his hand and shot a magic bolt at me. I suddenly had a hunger for chocolate.  
  
"NOW would you rack off?!" he snarled.  
  
"Yes sir!" I saluted and the Goddesses warped me back to the Chamber of Sages. When I explained what happened, they gave me some chocolate coins...  
  
  
  
'You expect us to believe THAT?!' Navi laughed.  
  
'It's true!' Rauru nodded. 'Now if you don't mind, we have business to attend to, don't we Link?'  
  
'Oh, er, yeah, I guess so,' Link agreed.  
  
As Rauru called to everyone, 'Places, Sages,' and the Sages were rushing to their spots, Zelda warped into the Chamber.  
  
'Hello [giggle] Princess,' Link snorted for no particular reason.  
  
'Uh, hi Link,' Zelda said with a frown, then cheered up. Sort of. 'Hi Saria - Same as ever, huh? Always will be? Darunia, love that new tie. Ruto, no I can't marry Link (?!). Impa, oh, how are you? I've missed you for ages. Nabooru, uh, well...' She stopped to think for a bit, then carried on. '...How's it going? The Gerudos been stealing anything lately? Rauru, I sure hope we can fix all this mess.'  
  
Everyone had a different reaction to Zelda's comments.  
  
'What do you mean, same as ever? Oh, that I'm always gonna be a kid...?'  
  
'I don't see no tie! Where...? No, wait, there it is. I just can't work out how to put this thing on...'  
  
'Well, good then! Because we got engaged seven - no, wait - eight years ago...'  
  
'I'm so glad to see you too, Princess. I am just fine... apart from the fact that I am angry because of this curse...'  
  
'Don't worry, Zelda, I've kept their hands off everything...'  
  
'I really hope so too, Princess.'  
  
With Rauru's last word, Zelda magicked a long table and chairs from nowhere. She sat at one end, Link the other, and the Sages on the sides.  
  
'Ok, we are here to discuss the issue of the curse. We will each report on their races' actions first,' Zelda explained in a business-like way. 'Rauru, would you go first?'  
  
  
  
'The Hylians are all scattered between the line of good and evil.   
  
In the Market, the rate of stealing has gone up, and prices of anything from a Recovery Heart to a bottle of Blue Fire have risen more than 50%. This is not good for business.  
  
In Kakariko, some of the better-known people - like the Cucco Lady - act strangely from time to time.  
  
As for Lon Lon Ranch, well, Ingo is acting too nice. He's definitely got a trick up his sleeve somewhere...  
  
Oh, Link - here is a helpful item - the Glowstone of Revealing. When near certain hidden areas, it will shake and glow brightly. It's sort of like the Stone of Agony, but it is actually used to get into some dungeons. And if you have that Fairy Mask on, it will stop you glowing when you squeeze the stone.   
  
That is my report, Princess.'  
  
  
  
Everyone commented before letting Saria speak.  
  
  
  
'The Kokiri probably have the worst status of all of the races. Kids can even normally do a lot of damage, but with the effects of the curse, the damage is much worse. Kokiri Forest has just about turned into Gerudo Valley - there is so much red dirt. The only dwellings are small caves, and Link's house, which has always stood in its original place. They seem to ignore it.  
  
As for the Great Deku Tree, his meadow... it's normal, yes, but the Deku Tree isn't, oh no. While Link was visiting, the Tree attacked and summoned the Kokiri to help out (he is only a tree, after all). This is definitely the worst case in Hyrule, Sages.'  
  
There was no comment this time, just a quivering silence.  
  
'Darunia, your turn?' Link asked.  
  
'Oh, yeah...'  
  
'Have you seen Gorons? They are nice. Now, have you ever seen EVIL GORONS?! They are...' (he tries to find a word for it other than "evil") '...EVIL!!!!  
  
Only Biggoron and his mighty sword have kept peace. Not that it helps much. He slaps them with the flat side of the blade. Ouch, it hurts. He got me once, supposedly by accident, but I think there's more to him than that.  
  
And Link, Biggoron still has the sword stowed away, if you want it. No wait, here it is.' Darunia pulled the gigantic blade from out of the drawer under the table. 'This time, you can use it as a kid too. It will shrink a bit when you go back in time, so you can still hold it.' The blade was still at least six feet long.  
  
  
  
Ruto took Biggoron's Sword from Link for a moment.   
  
'That's enormous! I can hardly hold it up!' she said.  
  
'Well, use two hands.' Link showed Ruto how to grip it.  
  
'Getting some quality time in before running off again, Link?' Nabooru laughed.  
  
'Er, Princess Ruto, I believe it is your turn now.' Rauru was getting slightly impatient.  
  
'Yeah. Er-hem. Anyway, the Zoras are quite strange also. I get a feeling that they hurt each other when they are behind my back, for I hear frequent screams from the waterfall, and there is blood in the water.  
  
Also, Lord Jabu-Jabu has started shooting out poison.  
  
And Dad... er, I mean King Zora has gone mental. Not only is he eating even more than usual, but I think he wants to kill me.  
  
There isn't much else for me to say, but I can give Link something...'   
  
Ruto grabbed something from behind her lower left flipper, and showed it to Link.   
  
'What is it?' Link grabbed it, and the "it" glowed brightly.  
  
'This "it" is the Waterfall Device. It can be attached to your Ocarina so you can play it underwater. Useful, eh?   
  
That ends my report.'  
  
  
  
'Interesting news, ah - Ruto.' Zelda seemed a bit ticked-off about something. 'Impa?'  
  
  
  
'Everyone in the castle is as always, except the guards. They don't seem to protect as well as they have been, and monsters inside the castle that appear sometimes keep rejuvenating until it has been destroyed about five times.' (Zelda grinned guiltily.)  
  
'Everything else is perfect. Besides the fact that I am the only true -' (Impa put real stress on the "true" part, and she gave Zelda and Link stern looks) '- Sheikah, of course. I just wish there was another...'  
  
'Very [cough] well-said, Impa. And Nabooru?' Zelda asked.  
  
  
  
'Yes. Even though I have spent most of these free years in the Desert Colossus, trying to sabotage Ganondorf's old followers in some way, I have visited the Fortress on numerous occasions. It is... It's too weird to explain properly.  
  
The Gerudo act as they always did, but some have an evil look on their faces, and others seem friendly.   
  
Oh, I have found a new way into the Spirit Temple. There is...' (Nabooru quietens down, thinking that Ganondorf is listening to her every word) '...a grey boulder that is only destroyable by lifting it up with the Silver Gauntlets. The hole under the boulder will lead to an underground lair, but there are lots of Gerudo guards. Yes, it seems that there is an underground tribe of them that no one knew of. Anyway, sneak past them anyway you can to get to a crawling hole. Crawl through to reach the secret entrance.'   
  
  
  
'That is... quite interesting, Nabooru,' Rauru said. 'Now, someone call Kaepora here.'  
  
'I'll do it.' Link seemed happy to play the Ocarina of Time again, seeing as he had to use the Fairy Ocarina in the short time he'd been in Hyrule so far (Link had gotten used to the slightly higher pitch of the Ocarina of Time).  
  
Link played the Song of Soaring, but instead of himself "soaring" somewhere, Kaepora Gaebora soared into the Chamber instead.  
  
'Yes, Rauru? What do you want?' Kaepora asked viciously. Then he saw Link.  
  
'Oh yes, you'll be needing...' the wise owl handed (or taloned) over a map of Hyrule.  
  
'I thought I had a map,' Link said in protest.  
  
'Oh no, this one is more accurate at this time. It shows the state that Hyrule is in right now.'  
  
'Now, Link, I will warp you to the Temple of Time,' Zelda said. 'When in your adult form, the curse is much worse, so people's reactions to you will be stronger than they were as a kid. But, if you go to the past, the curse won't even exist. You will find some useful clues in the past, so... play the Song of Time now. You'll get a new weapon there.'  
  
Link played the Song of Time, and as he did, he thought about going to the past.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Next Chapter: King Of The Kids  
  
Link is going to the past! In fact he's going to Gerudo's Fortress in the past! Just great...  
  
Please review! Be nice :)  
  
~~~ 


	8. Chapter 7: King Of The Kids or Meeting O...

Author Chronicles: Return to Hyrule  
  
a fanfic by charity236  
  
Disclaimer: I didn't create Zelda. So there. Oh, and flames will be given to Rauru to melt his chocolate coins.  
  
  
  
Here's another dose of Return to Hyrule!  
  
This chapter, Link heads to the Spirit Temple to find a hidden treasure... I wonder what it could be.  
  
  
  
Chapter 7: King Of The Kids or Meeting Of Two Young Rivals  
  
'Why am I still in the Chamber?'  
  
Link was a kid again, but almost everyone else looked childish too. Saria, of course, looked normal, but no one else did. Darunia had a tuft of hair on his head (otherwise, he was a normal Goron); Ruto was her cute (I think) self; Impa looked too weird to explain; Nabooru was as beautiful as always, but when Link first saw her, he thought she was Malon dressed up in Gerudo clothing with her hair in a ponytail. Rauru... well, he was a plump boy wearing orange robes, and Zelda looked as she did as a kid.  
  
'What did you say?' Zelda asked.  
  
'Who ARE you anyway?' Darunia asked.  
  
'I'm Link, and this is my fairy Navi,' Link nodded.  
  
'How can you be a Kokiri?' Saria asked. 'You have a fairy, and wear Kokirish clothing, but you don't feel... Kokirish.'  
  
'He's in a costume!' Ruto yelled.   
  
Link blushed, but still gave a loud laugh. 'I'm NOT in a costume. Oh, and by the way - in the future, you marry me, Ruto!'  
  
'AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!' Ruto screamed and ran around in circles before Darunia Goron-stomped the ground to make her stop.  
  
'Shut up, Ruto!' Link said. 'Okay... we're not married YET, but probably will be.'  
  
'How do you know my name?!' Ruto asked Link fearfully.  
  
'I already said I come from the future, duh. And if you make any more fun of me...' He got out Biggoron's Sword and slashed it through the air. 'That goes for all of you.' Link wasn't going to have any more dumb talk. He wanted some adventure. 'Now, I believe there is something that you wanted me to do, is that right?'  
  
'Er... I recognise you... from a dream I had.' Zelda remembered something from the dream. 'Go to Gerudo's Fortress. You'll find something there. And in the Kakariko Graveyard as well. I get this funny feeling that I've met you before... but when?'  
  
With those words, Link was warped out of the Chamber.  
  
  
  
'Hey, it's the Temple of Time! There's the Master Sword, ready to be pulled out. But the Door of Time's closed. How do we escape from here?' Navi asked.  
  
'Easy. You must have forgotten or something,' Link joked. He played the Minuet of Forest, and walked through the Sacred Forest Meadow without any Mad Scrubs OR Moblins trying to attack him.  
  
Once out of the Woods, a beautiful sight met Link's eyes. The Forest was all green again. He dashed out without a Deku Nut thrown at him, before setting off for Gerudo Valley.  
  
The bridge across the valley was secure, and it seemed that there was a small band of Gerudo outside the entrance to the Fortress.  
  
'Hello?'  
  
One of the Gerudo, a feisty-looking woman with two curved swords, came up to Link.  
  
'What may I help you with?' She said this with a touch of malice.  
  
'Uh, I just wanted to go into the Fortress.'  
  
'Do you have a Membership Pass?'  
  
'Yes, now where is it... oh, there. Take a look.'  
  
'Hmmm... Identification verified. You may pass.'  
  
'Thanks.'  
  
Link rode into the Fortress.  
  
'Looks alright. Maybe I should ask around for help.'  
  
Link rode about the Fortress, asking all the Gerudo he could find about a secret treasure in the valley.   
  
'A secret treasure? Surely you mean the treasure that lies deep within the Training Grounds?' every single Gerudo asked.  
  
'No, I've already got one of those. I'm looking for something else.'  
  
And that was all Link could get out of them.  
  
Except one, hidden in a secret area, just off the Horse Archery course. The Gerudo girl was, unmistakably, Nabooru.  
  
'Hmmm... Mum [sob] once told me about some sorta [sob] treasure deep inside some Temple [sob] thing, but I wasn't allowed in there [sob]...'  
  
Then she burst into tears.   
  
'Er, Nabooru, why are you crying?' Link asked her.  
  
'Mum was... Hey, how do you know my name? I've never seen you before. Have I? Have... Oh, you want to know what happened to my Mum...'  
  
A year ago, Mum went into the Temple thingy to see if she could steal the secret treasure from inside. But there was no way she could pass without the Silver Gauntlets...  
  
So she found a secret way in. There was some sorta hole in-between two palm trees or something, and she fell in by accident. There was this tribe of Gerudos, but they were all tired or something, wearing rags.   
  
Mum sneaked around the poor Gerudos, and asked one why they were down there.  
  
"We have to stay down here. We all have to serve the King of Thieves. Actually, none of us know his name. He has a son though, called Ganondorf. Vicious little guy. He wears all this dark armour, unlike his father..."  
  
"Really? Do you know of a secret treasure in the Spirit Temple?"  
  
"A treasure?! If there is one, Ganondorf's probably found it already. He's made the Temple his hiding place from his dad, and I heard there's some pretty mean witches living in there. So if you go in, watch your step."  
  
"Thanks. Oh, one last thing. How do I get into the Temple from here?"  
  
"No idea. Try asking the commander Gerudo. She sits in the chamber to your left."   
  
Mum went there, and when she asked about the Temple, a straight answer was given, for once.   
  
"Just go behind my chair. There's a hidden entrance on the floor. I don't think anyone uses it..."  
  
When Mum entered the Temple, there was a mean kid talking to two funny-looking witches. Mum sneaked around in the shadows and found a side alley. She went down it and there was a chest there, and she opened it.   
  
Ganondorf and the witches came into the room and when they saw the chest open, and Mum grabbing the treasure, they...  
  
  
  
'How do you know all this?' Link asked Nabooru.  
  
'Oh, the Gerudos that Mum talked to told me what happened.'  
  
'Did you find out what the treasure was?'  
  
'Um... it was...'  
  
Just then, a neigh rang out. A tall Gerudo was riding a gigantic horse, and she beckoned for Nabooru to come.   
  
'See you... somewhere or someTIME?'  
  
'Come along, Nabooru.'  
  
'Bye... Link!'  
  
Link played the Requiem of Spirit to get to the Desert Colossus, then found the hole that Nabooru's mother had fallen into.  
  
'Oh hi!' The Gerudo guard that Nabooru's mum had talked with was guarding the entrance.  
  
'Um, hi. Er, I'm looking for a treasure. Do you know where it is?' Link asked.  
  
'Oh, you're going to try and steal Ganondorf's treasure, are you? Go to the second left chamber, and behind the commander's chair to find the way into the Temple.'  
  
'Thanks.' Link did as he was told, and crawled through the hole.  
  
  
  
The chamber was empty. Link went into the side alley with the treasure.  
  
'There it is, Link!' Navi had finally woken up. She was her full-size self, without the Mask on. 'I decided to help you in case you needed some magic.'  
  
'Magic?'   
  
'Yeah, magic. I can do a bit, but not much.' Navi walked behind the chest and found a key, which she gave to Link (Ganondorf must have tightened security a bit, but not much [laugh]!).  
  
As soon as Link opened the treasure chest, a boy walked into the room. He looked about 16.  
  
'Hello, Link.' Ganondorf obviously remembered Link from the future. Link had no idea why.  
  
'Ganondorf. What a pleasant surprise.'  
  
'Where's your little fairy friend, eh?'  
  
'Right here.'  
  
Navi jumped out from behind the chest.  
  
'Eh? What's this? I thought she was tiny! But never mind - I'll finish her off first.'   
  
With that, Ganondorf fired up a dark ray, but Navi used her magic to ward it off.  
  
'Take that, Ganondorf!'  
  
Ganondorf was hit badly, and Link swiped him with his sword before the Gerudo kid ran off, yelling.  
  
'I'll get you for this, Link!!'  
  
  
  
'Well, what are you waiting for?' Navi asked.   
  
Link got out the treasure, which turned out to be... a wave blade. No wait, not a wave blade. One side of it was straight, and was cold to the touch. The other side was jagged and red-hot.  
  
'It's Twinrova's Blade. One side is fire.'  
  
'The other is ice.'  
  
'Watch out, sonny boy, we're going to get you!!'  
  
Link turned around. Koume and Kotake!   
  
The chest disappeared, and the two witches attacked at the same time.  
  
'Aaahh!' The frozen fire/burning ice hit Navi square on and she fell down in a heap.  
  
'Oh, you'll pay for that one...' Link growled, and did a spin with Twinrova's Blade. The magic waves that came out of it weren't orange, like a normal power spin, but light blue and red. The blue wave hit Koume and the red wave burnt Kotake badly.  
  
'You made a terrible mistake there, boy!' screeched Koume.  
  
'Let's do it, Koume!' Kotake cried.  
  
'Do what? ...Oh yeah. I almost forgot it!' Koume sobbed.  
  
The two witches melded into Twinrova, and she looked as beautiful (and as evil) as ever.   
  
'Link, let me take over!' Navi yelled.  
  
'But I thought you were hurt!' Link said.  
  
'Oh no, I fixed that up. Just leave it to me!' Navi leaped in front of Link.  
  
'NOOOO!!!!' Link screamed as Twinrova let out a gigantic flaming ball of ice that was homing in on Navi.   
  
Navi turned around and bent her wings back with an big 'OW!' (Her wing must have still hurt from the fight in Kokiri Forest.)  
  
Suddenly, everything felt as though it was running in slow motion.  
  
The fiery ball of ice was coming ever closer...  
  
Navi's face was set in a nervous stance...  
  
Link was posing a silent scream...  
  
Twinrova was cackling gleefully...   
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Next Chapter: Run-In With Ingo  
  
Link and Navi have to go get Moonshine... but is Ingo willing to give the horse up?  
  
Please review! Be nice :)  
  
~~~ 


	9. Chapter 8: Run In With Ingo

Author Chronicles: Return to Hyrule  
  
a fanfic by charity236  
  
Disclaimer: I didn't create Zelda. So there. Oh, and flames will be given to Rauru to melt his chocolate coins.  
  
  
  
Another chappie. Yay! This chapter, Link, Navi and Tatl head to Lon Lon Ranch to get Moonshine - but the horse isn't there...  
  
  
  
Chapter 8: Green Desert or Run-In With Ingo or Too Many Problems  
  
'AAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!'   
  
Link had shut his eyes so he wouldn't see what happened, but he couldn't help but look.  
  
Both Navi and Twinrova were strewn out on the floor, but only Twinrova seemed to be in pain. Navi was just lying there.  
  
Link crept over to Navi. Her wings were even more crumpled than before.  
  
'Navi?'  
  
She fluttered her eyes. 'Link, what happened?'  
  
'Well, you blocked Twinrova's fire-ice ball.'  
  
'I-I did?'  
  
'I think you did, because I wasn't watching. But you blocked it.'  
  
'Then how come Twinrova's lying there?'  
  
'Maybe...' Link thought for a moment. 'Maybe your magic bounced the fire-ice ball off your wings and hit Twinrova.'  
  
'Maybe. Now let's go get my horse!'  
  
'Oh, I almost forgot.'  
  
Link got out his Harp of Ages and warped to the present, then to Adult.  
  
  
  
'Hi fairy boy.'  
  
Link awoke. For some reason, Malon's face was hovering, upside-down, just above his. She must be leaning over him.   
  
'Aahhh! Oh, you.'   
  
'Yes, me, fairy boy.' Malon was grinning, but not in happiness. It was more of a gleeful grin than anything else.  
  
'And why are you grinning at me?' Link asked Malon.  
  
'Well...' She thought for a moment, then answered, 'No real reason.'  
  
'Oh. Well, I've come for Navi's horse.'  
  
'Moonshine. Yeah, he's out grazing in the paddock, unless Mr. Ingo's training him up on the Gerudo Horse Archery course.'  
  
'Why would he be doing that?'  
  
'I dunno. Maybe Mr. Ingo wants to teach Moonshine that arrows won't hurt him. Some of the horses here get spooked by arrows and birds and stuff. I know it's silly, but there you go,' Malon looked at Link's back. She must have noticed his fairy wings.  
  
'So, can I take Moonshine?' Navi asked.  
  
'Sure.' Malon whistled for the black horse, but he didn't come. 'Er... maybe he IS with Mr. Ingo.'  
  
'I'll go find him. And here's the money.' Link tipped out 650 Rupees from his wallet, but Malon insisted on giving Moonshine for free.  
  
'It's the least I can do for you, since you saved Hyrule and all.'  
  
'Gee, thanks.'  
  
As Link and Navi walked off, Malon's hands twitched, as though waiting to get them around someone's neck.  
  
'I'm starting to get sick of the Fortress, I've been there so many times over the [cough] years,' Link complained to Navi.  
  
'Remember the curse - something could have happened.' Navi was alert for any changes.  
  
'At least SOMEONE'S keeping an eye out... snore...' Tatl was half-asleep.  
  
'Lazy bum,' Navi whispered.  
  
'I heard that!' Tatl growled.  
  
Over the bridge... past the carpenters' tent...  
  
  
  
'Crikey, have my eyes gone weird or is everything green?!' Link almost yelled.  
  
The Fortress was almost completely overgrown with trees and bushes. A small pond sat in one corner of the fort, on the ledge above where the entrance was. Water trickled down the wall of the ledge, making a mini-waterfall. Grass grew where the normal sand would have been. You could just see the sand peeping out from under the grass where Gerudos frequently walked, making a sort of path.  
  
'Why is everything green?' Link asked no one.  
  
'The curse, duh,' Tatl had woken up fully. 'This place looks like the forest!'  
  
'Too right.' Navi stretched her arms.  
  
'Right now, Kokiri Forest looks like a desert, so it's like the reverse!' Link found out.  
  
'Good thinking. Hoo,' came a voice  
  
'Kaepora! How nice to see you after all these [cough] years!' Link yelled. 'Where have you been hiding?'  
  
'Ssshhhh! We'll get found!' Kaepora warned.  
  
'What? Are they all guarding stuff again?'  
  
'No, they hadn't stopped. It's just gotten worse, hoot hoot. Anything they find that isn't a plant, Gerudo or horse, they kill.'  
  
'Whoa, that's bad.'  
  
'But somehow they let Ingo in with no trouble...'  
  
'What?!'  
  
'That's what I heard. As for you... maybe you can sneak in there. Hoot.'  
  
'How?'  
  
'Try that Stone Mask you have there. Go on, give it a go.'  
  
After about ten steps, Link got caught. He fought off the Gerudo guard with his new Twinrova's Blade, but still had a bit of trouble. Afterwards, Link ran back to where Navi and Kaepora were waiting.  
  
'Caught? Try painting the Stone Mask green,' Navi advised. Link did so, then set off for another try.  
  
  
  
'Good thing this tunic is green,' Link thought to himself. He had managed to crawl around some of the gnarled trees near the walls of the fortress, but had some trouble finding the path to the archery range.   
  
He sat down to rest next to a large willow tree when Navi and Tatl popped out from behind a bush.  
  
'Aaahh!'   
  
'Aaahh!'  
  
'Aaahh!'   
  
They all laughed.   
  
'Come on,' said Link, 'The path's this way.'  
  
'Why walk when you can fly?' Navi said.   
  
'Huh... oh yeah!' Link thought, and put on his Stone Mask so he wouldn't be seen as easily. 'All this stuff, it's getting pretty complicated to remember, hey?'   
  
  
  
At one side of the course, Ingo was slapping Moonshine because he had reared and left Ingo with grass and sand up his pants.  
  
'You stupid horse! You're even harder to train than that Epona! Maybe I should let Ganondorf train you instead...'  
  
'Hi, Ingo,' said Link lazily, walking up to Ingo. He had taken the mask off, of course.  
  
'You're that fairy kid, aren't you? The one that beat me in those races? The one that took Epona?! The one that killed the great Ganondorf?!?!'  
  
'Uh... well, if you put it that way, then... yeah, that's me,' Link grinned.  
  
'After you took Epona I should have made those walls higher so you wouldn't have escaped in the first place!' Ingo growled to himself.  
  
'Ingo, I'm here about that horse of yours there...'  
  
'Don't tell me you want this one too!!!!' Ingo yelled, and pulled a long dagger from his belt. 'Well, you ain't gettin' 'im!'  
  
'Whoa!' Ingo had swiped his dagger at Link's neck, but he got out of the way just in time (with Navi's help).  
  
'You wanna piece of me? Do YOU wanna PIECE of ME?' Link taunted crazily.  
  
'And just what is that supposed to mean?' Ingo said, bewildered.  
  
'Er... never mind,' Link said quickly. He wasn't aiming to kill, even if Ingo was.  
  
They traded blows for at least ten whole minutes before Navi interrupted.  
  
'Ingo! Come and get me!'  
  
Navi ran to get Moonshine, but Ingo was faster.  
  
'SCREEEECH!!!!'  
  
'OW! Wha-' Ingo stammered.   
  
'Hoo!' Kaepora had come to help. He had landed on Ingo's head and was scratching him almost as hard as he could.  
  
'Alright!' Tatl (who had flown to the Archery Course with Epona) yelled as she flew over to help Link.  
  
'Get on Epona, Link!' Navi yelled.   
  
As Link ran to mount Epona, Ingo (who still had Kaepora on his head) pounced and knocked him over like a bull, giving Link a mouth full of sand.  
  
'Get off me!!' Link spat through his sand.  
  
'I'm coming!' said Navi, who was now on Moonshine.  
  
'Oof!' puffed Tatl, who was trying to do some damage to Ingo from under Kaepora and Link's bag (which had fallen onto Ingo's head when Link was pushed over).  
  
Tatl tripped over what seemed to be Ingo's ear when Link got up and pulled Ingo out from under the heavy bag.   
  
'Ouch! Hey, stop that!' Ingo cried. Link had whacked Ingo with the flat side of his sword (he thanked Darunia for the idea) as Tatl pulled Link's bag off her head.  
  
But she didn't look like Tatl.  
  
She DEFINITELY didn't look like Tatl.  
  
  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Next Chapter: Identical Twins... Or Are They?  
  
Things are getting weird. Who's that Gerudo standing there, holding Link's bag?...  
  
Please review! Be nice :)  
  
~~~ 


	10. Chapter 9: Identical Fairy And Gerudo

Author Chronicles: Return to Hyrule  
  
a fanfic by charity236  
  
Disclaimer: I didn't create Zelda. So there. Oh, and flames will be given to Rauru to melt his chocolate coins.  
  
I've got another double update of Return to Hyrule right here!  
  
This chapter, Link realises what's happened to Tatl, and the group heads off to Kakariko Graveyard... I wonder why.  
  
  
  
Chapter 9: Identical Fairy And Gerudo  
  
Link was still whacking Ingo with the flat of his blade, Kaepora was still flapping sand into Ingo's mouth, and Navi was still cheering them on, when Moonshine whickered.  
  
Everyone froze and looked around. Nabooru was standing next to Link's bag.  
  
Ingo seized the moment to try and escape, but Kaepora grabbed the collar of his shirt before looking behind his shoulder.  
  
Navi (who was on Moonshine) and Link took one good look at Nabooru before rushing up to her.  
  
'Heyy Nabooru!' Link said.  
  
'I'm NOT Nabooru! I'm Tatl!'  
  
Link, Navi and Kaepora looked at each other before bursting into fits of laughter.  
  
'Stop fooling around, Nabooru!'  
  
'You crack me up!'  
  
'That's the stupidest thing I've heard in years!'  
  
'SHUT UP!!!!!!!!!!!!!' Nabooru screamed.  
  
'What?' Link, Navi and Kaepora said at the same time, surprised that Nabooru would say that to them.  
  
'Shut up! I AM TATL, NOT NABOORU!!!!!!!!!' Nabooru yelled.  
  
'You called?'   
  
Everyone (including Ingo, Tatl and the horses) looked around again. Out from the secret tunnel that Link had found in the past came - Nabooru.  
  
'Nabooru?! Am I seeing things or did someone clone you?!' Link said, stunned.  
  
'No, I am Nabooru. That Nabooru over there -' she pointed at the fake Nabooru '- is not real. She is someone else.'  
  
Link just realised something.  
  
'Hey, where IS Tatl?' He ran to grab his bag. There was a hole in it. Which the bottle of gold dust was peeking through. Someone had made holes in the lid - and it wasn't Link. Ingo was looking gleeful.  
  
'Okay, who made holes in the lid of this bottle?' Link asked everyone. Everyone immediately pointed at Ingo.   
  
'What? Who said I ever did it?' Ingo asked.  
  
But everyone could tell he did it - by the gold dust on the tip of his dagger.  
  
'In-GO!' The fake Nabooru yelled and pushed Ingo over. Clouds of sand sprang up from beneath them so no one could see what was happening, but they could hear lots of 'Ow!' from Ingo and assorted comments from the fake Nabooru.  
  
'Stop it!' cried Link, and he pulled the fake Nabooru out from the dust cloud by the - wings. Of course to everyone except Tatl and Kaepora it seemed as though Link was pulling at nothing, but Link realised what had happened.  
  
'Kaepora, grab Ingo,' Link ordered. 'This Nabooru -' the real Nabooru gave Link a sour look, '- I mean this FAKE Nabooru - is Tatl.'  
  
Everyone except Tatl, Link and Kaepora stood there, stunned (again). Link had pulled the bottle of gold dust out from his ripped bag, and now held both in his hands. He pulled the Lens of Truth out from the bag, and looked through it at the fake Nabooru. It was Tatl alright.  
  
'If you don't believe me, look through here.' He offered it to Navi first.  
  
'You're right! It IS Tatl! But how?' She gave the Lens to Nabooru as she spoke.  
  
'Easy. As Ingo knocked me over, Tatl flew under my bag to try and help me. The bag was on top of her, already ripped, so she went in to get an Ember Seed from it, didn't you?' Link explained.  
  
'Well, yeah.'  
  
'But Ingo had made the holes in the gold dust bottle, so some dust fell on you. And that's how...' Link stopped short.  
  
'But why a Gerudo? And why specifically Nabooru?' Tatl asked.  
  
'I don't know.'  
  
'Well, at least you're armed now, Tatl,' Nabooru said.  
  
'What do you mean?' Link and Tatl asked.'  
  
'Look.' Nabooru drew two curved swords, like the ones that the Gerudo guards had, from her belt.  
  
Tatl grabbed for her belt too, but there was nothing.  
  
'I don't have swords, Nabooru,' Tatl said.  
  
'Take these then, there's heaps in the Spirit Temple.'  
  
'I better go, Nabooru,' said Link. 'Oh, and one more thing - but it's private.'  
  
  
  
'The treasure!' Nabooru gasped. They were in the secret tunnel again.  
  
'Yes, Twinrova's Blade.' Link said.  
  
'But why name it after those two stupid witches?' The ice and fire on the sword had disappeared when Link had sheathed it earlier.  
  
'They use fire and ice magic, look.' He showed Nabooru the edges; the fire and ice had reappeared.  
  
'Why not call it something else?' Link asked Nabooru.  
  
'Okay... um, how about... Fireblizzard Sword?'  
  
'That sounds alright. But what are you going to do with it?' asked Link.  
  
'Maybe I should go and put it in Mum's grave. She wanted this treasure so much. She would have been happy for you, taking it from the Temple.' Nabooru's silent tears fell to the ground.  
  
'It's alright, Nabooru,' Link put her arm around her, trying to comfort her. She sobbed into his shoulder. 'It's okay.'  
  
  
  
'Huh? What's that?' The man on top of the house in Kakariko thought he was seeing things. He got out his telescope, and saw the strangest thing: two horses flying in the sky, along with an enormous owl.   
  
'Wha-hey! This is fun!' Nabooru was holding onto Link, and they were on Epona. Ingo had been left behind, almost unconscious - the horses had trampled him before take-off.  
  
'What a view!' Tatl screamed. She had used her magic to get Moonshine (whom Tatl and Navi were riding) up in the air.   
  
'Almost there,' Navi said.  
  
They landed quietly on the grass in front of the graveyard entrance. Link hitched the horses to a signpost before knocking on the old gravekeeper's hut.  
  
'Yes?' A young man of around 20 opened the door.  
  
'I know you! You're that kid who imitated Dampé all the time! I sold that Spooky Mask to you, remember?' Link was surprised.  
  
'Oh yeah, now I remember! Thanks again for that mask, it helped me get my job! About a month after Ganondorf was defeated, a Poe that looked very much like Dampé gave me the key to the hut and said I could be gravekeeper! Boy am I proud! Plus I can go on the Heart-Pounding Gravedigging Tour now!' he exclaimed.  
  
'That's... great. We just needed to visit someone's grave, that's all.'  
  
'Sure.' He looked Nabooru up and down before saying, 'The Gerudo graves are down one side.'  
  
'Thanks. See you.'   
  
The strange group (consisting of a Hylian that looked like a Kokiri, a Gerudo, a fairy, a fairy that looked like a Gerudo and an owl) made its way to Nabooru's mother's grave. Link pulled the headstone back and found a hole underneath.   
  
'Well, coming?' He jumped down the hole.  
  
'Wait for us!' The two fairies slid down after Link.   
  
'Hoo!' Kaepora squeezed into it, but got stuck. Nabooru pushed on his head and he fell.  
  
'Don't leave me!' Nabooru yelled, and made to step in, but as she did, the gravekeeper guy ran up to her.  
  
'Hey! What are you doing? No entering graves without permission!' he yelled.  
  
'Too late!' Nabooru screamed as she slid down the narrow hole.  
  
'Just for that, you can die down there!' the gravekeeper guy yelled as he pushed the headstone back into place.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Die down there? As if! Stupid gravekeeper... anyways, wonder what is inside Nabooru's mum's tomb thingy?  
  
Next Chapter: Of Ghosts And Poes And Sprites  
  
The title almost speaks for itself.  
  
Please review - be nice :)  
  
~~~ 


	11. Chapter 10: Of Ghosts And Poes And Sprit...

Author Chronicles: Return to Hyrule  
  
a fanfic by charity236  
  
Disclaimer: I didn't create Zelda. So there. Oh, and flames will be given to Rauru to melt his chocolate coins.  
  
Now for the second part of my "super special double update special". Wait, does that make sense? Oh well...  
  
The title of this chapter kinda says it all.  
  
  
  
Chapter 10: Of Ghosts And Poes And Sprites  
  
'Aaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!' everyone yelled as they fell down the hole, which had become a metal chute.  
  
They landed on soft pillows.   
  
'I don't like it in here,' Kaepora whimpered. 'Too small a space to fly.'  
  
'Be thankful you can fly at all, Kaepora,' said Tatl. Her new curved swords had kept banging into her as she slid down the chute.  
  
Link got a Deku Stick out from his bag and Navi lit it.   
  
'Wow! Look at all the treasure!'  
  
There were mounds of gold, piles of silver, heaps of differently coloured jewels. Groups of assorted weapons, furniture and other objects were scattered around the gold piles. Two statues of Gerudo women stood in front of an archway.  
  
'Well, shall we go through the arch?' Link asked.  
  
'Alright.' Nabooru's eyes started to fill with tears.  
  
The mini procession walked through the archway, into a beautiful circular room. There were Gerudo carvings on the walls and stained glass windows (even though the room was underground) with candles on the sills, to create a spooky light. A life-size statue of Nabooru's mother stood in the middle of the room, with engravings on the bottom:  
  
RIP  
  
Then, in smaller writing:   
  
Only when I have the treasure of the Spirit Temple will I be truly happy.  
  
There was a hole in the base of the statue, big enough to slot a sword into.  
  
'Wow.' Link stood in awe at the beautiful room and statue.  
  
'Oh, Mum!' Nabooru ran and knelt in front of the statue. Link took out the Fireblizzard Sword and gave it to Nabooru to place in the slot.  
  
There was a grazing sound as Nabooru shoved the sword into the hole.  
  
A bright orange light shone. Link was almost blinded by it, and Kaepora had covered his eyes with his wings.   
  
'Daughter... Nabooru...' Nabooru's mother had appeared, but was transparent. A ghost.  
  
'Huh?' everyone said. Link looked up from the ground and Kaepora uncovered his eyes.  
  
'You... found... the treasure... the Sword...'  
  
'No. It was not me, but my friend, Link,' Nabooru said to the ghost of her mum.  
  
Link stepped forward.  
  
'You?'   
  
'Yes, me. I entered the Spirit Temple through the secret entrance, and found the treasure. When Ganondorf found me I slashed him with my sword, and he ran off. I took the Twinrova's Blade, and then Twinrova herself appeared. They shot a fire-iceball at me, but my fairy Navi blocked it.'  
  
Navi now stepped forward too.  
  
'You... a fairy?! You're... too big... to be a... fairy,' said the ghost of Nabooru's Mum.  
  
'No I'm not!' said Navi, and put the Fairy Mask on.  
  
'Alright... what happened then?' asked the ghost. Navi took the Mask off again.  
  
'The ball of fire and ice bounced off Navi's wings and hit Twinrova. They fell unconscious. Navi was hurt, but not much. And that's just about all that happened - oh yeah, Nabooru renamed the blade "Fireblizzard".'  
  
'A name... worthy of a sword... like that.' The ghost looked extremely happy, yet extremely weary. 'Thank you... Link, for taking... the sword. Navi, for stopping... Ganondorf and Twinrova... from taking it... off of you. And Nabooru... for giving it... a worthy name, and placing... the sword into... my statue. Plus -' the ghost looked at Kaepora and Tatl '- those of your friends... who came with you... I thank you too...'  
  
Everyone was really proud.  
  
'All of you... may take... something...from my... treasure pile. Do not... let anyone else... come in... here, or they will be... cursed. Never let people... enter this chamber... Goodbye... Nabooru and friends...' The ghost "hugged" Nabooru, and whispered something to her which Link couldn't comprehend. Then Nabooru's mother "shook" Link's, Tatl's and Navi's hands, and in the case of Kaepora, his wing.   
  
When everyone had said goodbye, the ghost disappeared. Nabooru had tears running silently down her face.  
  
The group of friends walked back through the archway and chose their rewards.  
  
Link picked out a jewelled dagger and scabbard. Navi and Tatl found two similar necklaces, made of gold, with fairy charms on them. Kaepora settled on a small sack full of jewels. Nabooru had a long time deciding, but eventually found two curved swords, like the ones she had given Tatl, but much sharper, and had Spirit Medallion symbols carved into the hilts.  
  
'Guys, you go up the chute. I have to do something.' Nabooru turned and walked back to her mother's statue.  
  
  
  
'How the hell are we going to get up there?!' Link asked his fairies and owl friend.  
  
'Maybe you could fly up. You DO have those wings, after all,' Navi suggested.  
  
Link tried to fly up the chute, but banged his head on something at the top.  
  
'It's blocked off!' he cried. 'That stupid gravekeeper must have moved the headstone back.'  
  
'Use your Megaton Hammer!' Kaepora yelled.  
  
Link pulled it out of his bag and whacked the headstone so hard it flew through the sky... and landed on the gravekeeper's hut roof!!  
  
'Hey! Is someone throwing headstones around here or something?!' yelled the gravekeeper from his ruined hut.  
  
'No!' Link yelled back. 'I hit it with my hammer!'  
  
'That must have been some hammer,' thought the gravekeeper.   
  
'Now, everyone fly up. Kaepora, stay behind so you can help Nabooru back up here too,' ordered Link.  
  
'Hoo,' Kaepora agreed.  
  
  
  
When Link, Navi and Tatl had escaped from the hole, the gravekeeper proceeded to tell them off.  
  
'DON'T YOU EVER COME BACK HERE AGAIN!!!! Entering graves... stealing treasures... what next? Giant Poes?!'  
  
As if in answer to the gravekeeper's question, a giant Poe sprang up from a nearby headstone.  
  
'Oh hell.'  
  
Link took out the Master Sword and charged at the Poe, sword-first. It speared the evil ghost in the stomach (if Poes have stomachs), and the Poe shrunk down to a little yellow spirit thing, which fell down another shaft.  
  
'Look Link, that's the Royal Family's Tomb down there!' Navi exclaimed. 'Maybe the Poe is trying to tell us something?...'  
  
'Maybe,' Link nodded, but before he could jump down the hole to see what the Poe wanted, Nabooru and Kaepora burst out of the hole where Nabooru's mother's grave was.  
  
'Link!' Nabooru yelled as she ran towards Link, holding something in her hands. 'My mother wanted you to have these.' The Gerudo held out the Fireblizzard Sword, and a smiling Poe-like spirit encased in an orange crystal.  
  
'Why does she want me to have the Fireblizzard Sword? I thought SHE wanted it!' Link said.  
  
'She just had the feeling it might be useful to your quest... you never know when something like that will come in handy.'  
  
'I guess... And what's the crystal?'  
  
'That's the Gerudo Spirit Sprite. I think you have to place it in an altar somewhere... Mother mentioned a royal place...'  
  
'The Royal Family's Tomb! Of course! That's what the giant Poe was trying to tell me about!' Link realised. He grabbed the Fireblizzard Sword and Spirit Sprite from Nabooru. 'You guys stay here, I'm going to go find the altar.'  
  
  
  
Inside the Royal Family's Tomb, it was half-flooded due to the rain that had poured into the hole over the years. Murky water with all sorts of gooey stuff in it, yuck.  
  
'Ewwwww!' Link cringed. He decided to put on his Hover Boots so he could hover over the disgusting slimy water.  
  
At the other side, he opened the door and found the room with the poisonous green slime and the ReDeads. He'd almost forgotten about those zombie-like things. Damn.  
  
Link played the Sun's Song and the ReDeads froze, letting Link cross the room without having to worry about them.  
  
In the next room, there stood the tombstone with the inscriptions of the poem and Sun's Song, but there was no sight of any altar. Wondering what to do next, Link sat down on the stone floor before seeing the giant Poe again.  
  
Link took out the Fireblizzard Sword and pointed it at the ghost, but it flinched before saying, 'I know you are on a quest to find the Spirit Sprites, and you need to find the altar, no?'  
  
'Yeah - where IS it?' Link asked.  
  
'Do not let your eyes deceive you, and you will find the way, yes?' Then the Poe disappeared.  
  
Link thought about his hint. '"Do not let your eyes deceive you..." I know! The Lens of Truth.' He drew the red and blue magnifying glass from his bag and used it. There, behind the tombstone, was another walkway.  
  
Along this walkway were two levers. Link groaned - he hated this sort of "50-50" thing. Nevertheless, he chose the right lever.  
  
A Ceilingmaster immediately swooped down upon him, but Link ducked and pointed his sword at the sky - it pierced into the giant hand and killed it, making it burst into green flames before several Blue Rupees appeared as a reward.  
  
Link took the Rupees gratefully before pulling the other lever. This time a large swarm of Keese burst out from a hidden trapdoor; they flooded his vision, so he swung the sword around aimlessly. Several of the Keese were downed, but a particularly large one dodged Link's blade.  
  
Notching an Ice Arrow to his bow, Link let it fly, hitting the giant Keese and freezing it in an instant. Thinking that it was a job well done, he smiled before taking the Lens out again, scanning the area for invisible levers and pathways and such.  
  
There was something - a rotating diamond switch right above him on the ceiling. Thinking that the Longshot and arrows might not be fast enough to hit it, Link found his Boomerang, and threw it at the switch. The Boomerang curved around several times before nicking the switch just enough to activate it.  
  
A stone wall to the left of Link opened up. Link walked through and found the altar.  
  
The room shone with a blue light not unlike the Chamber of Sages. The altar was Triforce-shaped, with three round holes on each of the triangles. Link, trembling slightly, took the Gerudo Spirit Sprite and placed it into the orange hole, which was at the top of the Power triangle.  
  
There was a bright orange light before what sounded a lot like Zelda's voice echoed out:  
  
~Well done Link. But there are still eight Spirit Sprites to find. The next Sprite you need to find is somewhere in Holodrum. Go safely, my young Hero of Time, for there is evil abroad.~  
  
But was that REALLY Zelda's voice? To Link it sounded a lot older, or maybe it was just him?...  
  
'Uh... can you give me any other hints?' Link asked, grinning sheepishly.  
  
~Look for the one with the golden key... Oh, and two wrongs don't make a right, but three lefts do.~  
  
Link stared at the altar. 'Two wrongs don't make a right, but three lefts do?! Since when is THAT true?'  
  
The voice said no more.  
  
'Helpful...' Golden Key. Who in Holodrum had a golden key? He couldn't think of anyone - but then he remembered Rosa the Subrosian. Of course! Her key supposedly opened any door.  
  
Smiling, Link examined the altar some more. The other eight holes were each different colours - red, brown, violet, blue, light green, yellow, dark green and white. Link had an idea which holes were for which Spirit Sprites, but there was no time for standing around. He had to get back to Nabooru and the others.  
  
  
  
'Where is he? He's taking quite a while,' Kaepora moaned.  
  
'I reckon he'll be back in about half an hour,' Navi said just as Link stepped out of the hole.  
  
'The moral here is to never speak too soon,' Link smiled.  
  
'Well did you put the Sprite in?' Nabooru asked.  
  
'Yep, and the next one I have to find is in Subrosia.'  
  
'Where's Subrosia?' all of his companions asked.  
  
Link sighed. 'It's an underground area in Holodrum with lots of volcanoes and lava, and the Subrosians live there. They wear robes with hoods which are never taken off.'  
  
'And just HOW are you going to get there?' Navi asked.  
  
'I'll ride Epona halfway, then maybe call Rocky and he'll get me to the nearest warp spot.'  
  
'Who's Rocky?'  
  
'He's this boxing kangaroo I met in Holodrum - nice guy, lets me hop in his pouch every once in a while.'  
  
'What's a kangaroo?'  
  
'[big sigh] A kangaroo is like a large rabbit with a pocket - it has a pouch and can jump really high and far. But right now you need to get back to the Fortress, Nabooru. Kaepora will fly you back there, I think Moonshine and Epona are enough for me to handle.'  
  
'Fine,' Nabooru nodded.  
  
'Good, then it's settled. Navi, Tatl - we'll head to the Chamber of Sages to tell Zelda we've found the first Sprite.'  
  
'Right then. See you when you get back from Holodrum,' Nabooru said before grabbing onto Kaepora's legs and flying off.  
  
'Okay. Let's go,' Link said, watching Kaepora fly away.  
  
'Er, there's just one little problem,' Navi said. 'There's two of us oversize fairies, and only one Fairy Mask.'  
  
'Oh no...' Link bit his lip. 'Tatl, since you're the more controversial-looking one - no offence - you take the Mask, sorry Navi. None of us could help that Ingo turned Tatl into a Gerudo with that stupid dust.'  
  
  
  
In the Chamber of Sages, Rauru was sitting in a recliner, counting chocolate coins. Zelda was across the room from him, muttering to herself. But when Link, Navi and Tatl approached her, she stopped it immediately.  
  
'Hello Link.'  
  
'Hi.'  
  
They stood in silence for a moment, wondering nervously what to say.  
  
'Uh... I found the Gerudo Spirit Sprite,' Link exclaimed after a while.  
  
'Great,' Zelda smiled, but didn't say or do anything else. She seemed to be preoccupied with something, most likely her own thoughts. Link, not being able to read minds, didn't know what those thoughts were.  
  
Rauru picked up a chocolate coin and opened the foil, but it slipped from his hand, rolled across the floor and down into the almost-bottomless pit below. 'Darn, that's two-thousand and fifty-seven minus one, uh... so that makes two-thousand and fifty-six.' Link laughed and shook his head at this.  
  
At that moment, a Subrosian wearing a large orange bow and a golden key on a chain appeared at the door.  
  
'Is [pant] there... anyone called... [wheeze] Link in here?...' the Subrosian asked, breathing heavily.  
  
'Rosa! What are you doing here?!' Link asked.  
  
'Link, there you are!...' Rosa panted.  
  
'You don't want to go on another date with me, do you?'  
  
Zelda looked at Link in surprise before frowning heavily.  
  
'No... big trouble in Subrosia... some "dragon" monsters just blew up the "temple"!'  
  
'WHAT?! DRAGONS DESTROYED THE TEMPLE OF SEASONS?!'  
  
'Just the "under temple"... the "above temple" is fine...'  
  
'Guess I'd better go with you then. Come on Navi, Tatl. Bye Zel,' Link said before Rosa led him out the door.  
  
Zelda frowned again before going back to whatever she was doing before.  
  
'What was that about?' Rauru asked.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Okay, I realise that Nabooru's mother's ghost was annoying (all of that ... stuff) but she won't appear again.  
  
But in the meantime, what on earth are "dragons" doing, destroying the "upper temple"?! Find out... next time.  
  
Next Chapter: Author's Annoying Activities  
  
Note - the title of the next chapter may change without notice.  
  
Oh and please review, be nice :)  
  
~~~ 


End file.
